Wheelchairs are available in a variety of different forms. One of the most basic distinctions is between “powerchairs,” which are wheelchairs powered by batteries and electric motors, and manual wheelchairs, which are self-propelled by the wheelchair user or by an attendant pushing the chair from behind. Many manual wheelchairs are designed to be foldable so that the owner/user can reduce the profile of the wheelchair for easier storage, transport, and/or maneuvering of the wheelchair. For example, a user may fold a wheelchair so it can be placed in the trunk of a car, in a closet, or in another convenient storage location.
Powerchairs incorporate batteries and electric motors to provide propulsion to the wheelchair. Although powerchairs provide motorized assistance to the chair user, they are typically much heavier than their manual chair counterparts, which makes them much more difficult to transport, store, or carry/maneuver. In addition, powerchairs are typically larger than manual wheelchairs and have no folding capabilities, which exacerbates the challenges in storing, transporting, and carrying/maneuvering the powerchairs.